Re-enactment of the Landing of the Madonna delle Grazie

A city returning to the 16th century

For three days, Nettuno, located on the southern coast of the Metropolitan City of Rome in the Lazio region, sheds its seaside resort identity to don the attire of a Renaissance village. The "Reliving Our History" event stages the foundational episode of Nettuno's identity: the arrival of the wooden statue of the Madonna delle Grazie in the Jubilee year of 1550 on the beach at the foot of the current Sanctuary. It is not merely a costume parade, but a collective narrative that the community repeats to itself and passes on to future generations.

The history of the landing

Tradition, recorded in an anonymous 1718 manuscript, holds that the sculpture came from Ipswich, England, where it was venerated as Our Lady of Grace. Following the Anglican Schism decreed by Henry VIII, the image was allegedly saved from iconoclastic fury and loaded onto an English vessel. Caught in a violent storm off the Lazio coast, the ship found shelter in the ancient port of Cenone, near Nettuno. Three times the sailors tried to set sail, and three times the waves drove them back: interpreting this as a divine sign, the crew left the statue to the people of Nettuno, who placed it in the church of San Rocco. Since then, the Madonna delle Grazie has been the city's patron saint, now housed in the Sanctuary which also contains the crypt of Saint Maria Goretti.

How the re-enactment unfolds

Curated by the Associazione La Stella del Mare APS in collaboration with the Municipality of Nettuno, the re-enactment brings the historic center's iconic landmarks to life. The scenic heart is the Medieval Quarter, with its walls overlooking the sea, joined by Piazzale San Rocco, Piazza Mazzini, Forte Sangallo, and naturally the beach in front of the Sanctuary, where the most anticipated moment takes place in the evening: the landing of the statue, accompanied by torches, fire performances, and fireworks.

• Artisan and Renaissance market through the narrow streets of the village
• Flag-wavers, drummers, and musicians with a Renaissance and Celtic repertoire, including bagpipes
• Fire shows, acrobats, and jugglers in the town squares
• Sword duels and historical fencing demonstrations
• Renaissance dances and itinerant theatrical storytelling
• Historical pageant with hundreds of participants in period costumes

Historical groups and participation

The event attracts historical groups from all over Italy—in the most recent edition, about twenty companies totaling four hundred participants—who join the local Nettuno groups. Alongside professional performers, dance schools, local associations, and families march: it is this blend of scholarly re-enactment and popular participation that gives the festival its most authentic tone. The collateral initiative "History in the Shop Window" also brings historical costumes into the windows of downtown shops, extending the atmosphere for weeks.

The connection with the Nettuno May

The April re-enactment is not an isolated event: it effectively opens the devotional season that culminates in the Nettuno May, the cycle of celebrations in honor of Our Lady of Grace that accompanies the city throughout the following month with processions, illuminations, and musical events. Visitors to Nettuno during this period find a city in almost uninterrupted celebration.

Why it is worth the trip

Less than an hour from Rome, Nettuno offers a rare sight during these days: the 16th-century village illuminated by torches, the silhouette of Forte Sangallo standing out against the sky, and the sea that, at sunset, recreates the scene of the landing. It is a historical re-enactment that speaks of navigation, exile, and hospitality—themes that the Mediterranean continues to tell. Admission to outdoor performances is free, and the event is designed for families with children as well.